The present invention relates to rock crushing systems, such as conical rock crushers or gyratory crushers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a spider piston sleeve and seal arrangement for rock crushers.
Gyratory rock crushers generally have a downwardly expanding central conical member which rotates or gyrates within an outer upwardly expanding frustroconically shaped member typically called a shell. The shell can be comprised of two or more pieces, e.g., a top shell and a bottom shell. The central conical member generally has a wearing cover or a liner called a mantle. A spider assembly rests on the top shell, forming the top of the support structure for the machine.
A shaft extends vertically through the rock crusher. The shaft is supported by a bearing in the spider assembly. The central portion of the shaft tapers inwardly in an upward direction to form the central conical crushing member. The central portion of the shaft supports the mantle, which moves with the shaft to effect the gyratory crushing operation.
The spider assembly is designed to support the shaft while allowing gyratory movement during operation of the machine. The vertical position of the shaft with respect to the spider assembly is controlled by a piston arrangement in the spider assembly. The piston arrangement is a complex mechanical apparatus including a piston, a bearing, and an attachment system. The piston is slidably disposed within the spider assembly. The bearing is supported by the piston and supports the shaft while allowing gyratory motion. The bearing has a hemispherical ball disposed in a socket; the hemispherical ball is lubricated by a lubricant, such as oil. The attachment system is required to clamp the shaft to the bearing.
The piston is supported by an annular hydraulic cushion that forces the piston to travel upward when it is filled with fluid. Because of the mass of the shaft being supported by the piston, the pressure inside the hydraulic ring is substantial. Seals are required both above and below the hydraulic cushion to prevent fluid from leaking downward into the crusher cavity or upward into the spider cavity.
Typically, cylindrical sleeves are used between the piston and spider to protect the spider from damage due to the motion of the piston. Therefore, leakage of oil from the hydraulic cushion must be prevented both between the piston and the cylindrical sleeves, and between the cylindrical sleeves and the spider. The sleeve and seal arrangements are complex with respect to the number of parts required and the difficulty of installation.
One conventional approach to the problem of sealing the hydraulic cushion has been to use an upper cylindrical sleeve that is installed from above the spider and a lower cylindrical sleeve that is installed from underneath the spider. The disadvantage to this approach is that if the lower sleeve needs to be replaced, it must be accessed from below the spider assembly, which is difficult because removal of the spider is required. Conventional sleeve arrangements also use additional rings to define the top and bottom of the oil cushion, in addition to the sleeves. The use of these rings is effective in sealing the space but not desirable because of the additional parts. A further disadvantage of conventional piston sleeve and seal arrangements is that both the lower and upper sleeves must be attached to the spider with additional hardware.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a piston sleeve arrangement that may be installed and replaced from above the piston, i.e., xe2x80x9ctop servicexe2x80x9d. Further, there is a need for a piston sleeve and seal arrangement that requires fewer parts. Further still, there is a need for a piston sleeve and seal arrangement that does not require hardware to install the lower sleeve.
An exemplary embodiment relates to a gyratory crusher that has a shell and a spider supported by the shell. The gyratory crusher has a piston disposed within the spider, and a shaft that is coupled to the piston. An upper cylindrical sleeve having a flange is disposed between the piston and the spider. A lower cylindrical sleeve having a flange is also disposed between the piston and the spider. The lower sleeve is retained by the spider and the upper sleeve without the use of other attachment means.
Another embodiment relates to a spider sleeve apparatus for a gyratory crusher. The gyratory crusher has a piston disposed in a spider. The spider sleeve apparatus has an upper cylindrical sleeve having a flange is disposed between the piston and the spider. The spider sleeve apparatus has a lower cylindrical sleeve having a flange is disposed between the piston and the spider. The lower sleeve is retained by the spider and the upper sleeve without the use of other attachment devices.
A further embodiment relates to a method of installing or replacing lower and upper cylindrical sleeves for a gyratory crusher. The gyratory crusher has a shaft supported by a bearing. The bearing is supported by a piston disposed within a spider. The method of installing or replacing the lower and upper cylindrical sleeves includes the steps of removing the bearing, removing the piston, and installing the lower sleeve by lowering it in from above the spider. The method includes further steps of installing the upper sleeve by lowering it in from above the spider, bolting the upper sleeve to the spider. The method also includes steps of replacing the piston, and replacing the bearing.
A still further embodiment relates to a gyratory crusher having a shell and a spider supported by the shell. The gyratory crusher has a piston disposed within the spider, and a shaft coupled to the piston. An upper cylindrical sleeve with a flange is disposed between the piston and the spider. A lower cylindrical sleeve with a flange is also disposed between the piston and the spider. The gyratory crusher has a hydraulic cushion in the space defined by the lower sleeve flange, the piston, and the upper sleeve. An upper o-ring is disposed between the upper sleeve and the spider. A lower o-ring is disposed between the lower sleeve and the spider. The o-rings provide a seal for the hydraulic cushion such that the need for an additional ring seal is eliminated.
A still further embodiment relates to a spider sleeve apparatus for a gyratory crusher. The gyratory crusher has a piston disposed in a spider. The spider sleeve apparatus has upper cylindrical sleeve means having a flange disposed between the piston and the spider. The spider sleeve apparatus has lower cylindrical sleeve means having a flange disposed between the piston and the spider. The lower sleeve is retained by the spider and the upper sleeve without the use of other attachment devices.